Mr. G. A. CRUICKSHANK (Fraser Valley):

I wish to direct a question to the Minister of National Defence on behalf of the rump. Has it been brought to the attention of the minister that one of our members, Major Hugues Lapointe, M.P., son of the late Hon. Ernest Lapointe, former Minister of Justice, has distinguished himself in the liberation of France?

Hon. J. L. RALSTON (Minister of National Defence):

I have noted the statement which

has appeared in the public press to the effect indicated by the hon. member. I may say that we all join in congratulating our fellow-member on this recognition of the success he has achieved and on the fine service he has rendered to the allied cause.

Mr. CLARENCE GILLIS (Cape Breton South):

I wish to direct a question to the

Dominion Coal Company

Minister of Munitions and Supply arising out out of a telegram received from Local' 4530, United Mineworkers of Nova Scotia, protesting against the action of the Dominion Coal company in leaving their mines idle on Saturdays. In view of the anticipated fuel emergency in the coming winter, as exemplified by the minister's warnings to the public to get their fuel stocks early, will the minister check with the Dominion Coal company as to the possibility of continuous employment in the mines, including Saturdays? Secondly, is he in a position to take any action with respect to the second part of the telegram, namely, the miners demand for remuneration for the time lost through the company's action in keeping the mines idle?

Hon. C. D. HOWE (Minister of Munitions and Supply):

The hon. member was good

enough to give me notice of the question, and I have obtained the pertinent facts, which I think should be placed before the house. I must give them at some length.

I must say at once that every ton of coal that can be mined in Nova Scotia is required to meet the present coal shortage. The record of coal production in Nova Scotia during past months has been anything but satisfactory. The Department of Munitions and Supply and the Dominion Coal company as a whole are making desperate efforts to improve the situation. The salient points remain and can be noted as follows:

1. Daily production is declining from a normal 18,000 tons per day; the average at the present time is nearer 12,000 tons per day.

2. The output per man per day has decreased from 2-67 tons in 1939 to 1-73 tons per man per day for April of this year.

3. Absenteeism has increased from 14-9 per

cent in January of this year to 29-7 per cent for the month of May. ,

As a further example of the difficulties encountered, when retroactive wages were paid out on May 15, 1944, covering the order of the national war labour board, absenteeism reached a high of 41-4 per cent. This figure has mot been included in the above averages.

Another case is at No. 24 colliery (Caledonia) ; the mine was idle for four days, the reason given that the miners were looking for a woman who had wandered away from home. It was found that the number of men looking for this person, out of a total labour force at this mine of 468, did not amount to more then twenty on May 11 and about eight on May 12. There is no record of any men seeking the lost person on May 13 and 15,

and the mine was idle for the four days and not one man asked permission to absent himself from work.

A recent survey of mining labour in the Cape Breton area indicates that there are over 600 men who are either qualified to obtain second class certificates as miners or who already have certificates but will not transfer from datal work to contract work at the coal face. The management have not to date induced these men to take over the actual productive labour in the mines, yet a substantial number of alternate workers could be found to take the place of these qualified miners now on non-productive mining work.

In an endeavour to remedy the situation the management sought permission to establish a five day week at certain of the collieries to see whether or not it would improve matters. This resulted in a telegram sent me by the Caledonia local asking that the government pay them for the shifts lost on Saturday, June 3, and Saturday, June 10.

The facts of the matter are: the company have attempted to work Caledonia mine on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning shifts against increasing absenteeism indicative of the reluctance of the producers to work on these two shifts. The average week-end

absenteeism producers during May at the Caledonia collieries on Friday afternoon amounted to 64-5 per cent and on Saturday morning shifts 45-5 per cent.

All mines work a shingle shift on Saturdays. Caledonia could produce one thousand tons in that shift, but during May the Saturday morning shifts averaged from 337 tons to 5S1 tons.

On May 27 only 63 producers out of a possible 120 reported for work. The tons produced per man on that day amounted to three-quarters of a ton compared with over two tons on a normal day.

Week-end absenteeism is but a more acute condition of non-attendance at work affecting the whole week. If producers would work steadily five days weekly, output could be increased 22 per cent over actual six day performances during May.

As indication of the attitude toward Saturday work, I may state that No. 16 colliery has worked only on two Saturdays this year because men did not turn out for work. Sydney Mines collieries, Princess and Florence, have not worked on a Saturday since February 13, 1943, for the same reason.

Mr. GILLIS:

May I inquire where the

minister got his facts?

Mr. HOWE:

I got them from the coal

administrator.

Department of Veterans' Affairs

Mr. GILLIS:

I thought so. That is not a statement of facts; it is a propaganda statement. I hope I shall have-

Oh, oh.

Mr. GILLIS:

There is no "oh" about it.

I hope I shall have the privilege of putting the other side of the story on the record.

Mr. HOWE:

Will my hon. friend promise to do that, covering exactly the same ground?

Mr. GILLIS:

Yes, I will.

Mr. REID:

May I ask the minister whether the men were successful in their search?

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

Wherein do they differ?

Mr. MACKENZIE (Vancouver Centre):

The suggestion made by the hon. member for Vancouver South is a broadening out of the terms of the words "of any person" included

in the draft bill now before the committee.

I am accepting the suggestion and move the amendment accordingly.